How to Choose Epoxy Flooring

Are you planning to give your floor an overhaul? Before you can make a decision, you need to understand that you have multiple options to consider.

Epoxy flooring is one of most common flooring for industrial, commercial, and institutional applications.

Your choices don’t just end there, you still have several epoxy flooring choices meaning you need to pick the one that suits your needs. This article will help you know how to choose epoxy flooring.

Get the Right Epoxy Flooring

The best way to ensure you buy the right epoxy flooring is to understand the basic facts and know what causes some epoxy coatings to look like they have failed or to fail.

Taking time to read and learn the specifications of each epoxy you may consider is an essential factor.

Specifications don’t lie –they tell you what the coat is capable of and what it isn’t. Your choice becomes simpler if you know what you are looking for.

Know What You Need and Want

Before you can start checking out your options, determine what you need or want including how much you are willing to spend. Are you searching for a garage floor, industrial floor, or something that’s in between?

In case your budget doesn’t allow you to have an epoxy coating that is greater or equal to the traffic loads you’ll run on your floor, it’s better not to epoxy paint your floor. It’s better to visit your local store and buy a sealer for protecting the slab against corrosion.

Type of Industrial Epoxies

Water-based industrial epoxy coating needs to be avoided because they are not good particularly when bought in a big box store. Cyclic aliphatic epoxies are affordable because they are an epoxy hybrid and do not come with a top coat. Note that they aren’t hard like aliphatic epoxies and are not so thick too.

They are prone to fading, dulling, yellowing, and wearing out. There is a clear epoxy version with additives that help resist yellowing and fading. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change anything since your floor will still wear out and lose the gloss finish quickly.

You require a 20mgs abrasion rating or lower for any residential floor, 4mgs for an industrial flooring application and 8mgs for commercial flooring. Don’t use epoxy floor paint with a high abrasion loss rate that exceeds 20mgs or using an epoxy that doesn’t have an abrasion loss rating.

Determine the Finish

Should you pick a heavy or light flake finish? Is a solid color epoxy finish better? Generally, garage floors require an epoxy finish that has color flakes.

Avoid using color flakes if work is being done on your floor with small screws or parts that may fall because it makes it difficult to find such small items on the floor. Simply pick the finish that looks and works better for you.

Level Durability

The level of durability is another essential factor you have to consider. Adhesion epoxy coatings have a high adhesion capability compared to enamel unless the epoxy is water-based. Water-based epoxies are not suitable and will not stick to your floor.